President’s office mum on accountability

IN A WEEK where parliamentarians heard about a series of failures in departments and state-owned companies, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office has remained mum on the performance agreements he made ministers sign in 2020.

In his 2020 State of the Nation Address, Ramaphosa promised to strengthen the state’s accountability, and he later made ministers sign performance agreements.

After signing the agreements with ministers, the government’s website, which publishes his speeches, quoted him as saying: “We see these performance agreements as the cornerstone of a new culture of transparency and accountability, where those who are given the responsibility to serve – whether as elected office bearers or public servants – do what is expected of them.”

DA leader John Steenhuisen’s office was approached for comment, but his chief of staff, Ryan Smith, said they were planning a parliamentary review press briefing for Monday, which would delve into the ministers’ performance agreements.

The promises made by Ramaphosa haven’t come to fruition, and questions to Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, went unanswered.

Some of the failures highlighted to MPs relate to Ramaphosa’s plans to turn things around.

Some of the failures heard in Parliament are, among others:

• Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke told MPs that the SABC needs urgent intervention due to turnaround plans not being implemented.

• Prasa’s long-distance trains ran 6 000 trips on 21 routes and in 2009, but they’re left with only two routes this year and passengers have largely abandoned the service, MPs were told.

• Police Minister Bheki Cele delivered to statistics to MPs that have been described by his critics as the worst since he has become minister. His critics asked him to step aside.

• In 2020, Ramaphosa appointed the Presidential State-Owned Enterprises Council to “reposition” struggling state-owned companies.

MPs heard from Public Enterprises acting director-general Jacky Molisane about the hiccups to a business case that was being developed by the department to “support” the Council.

This business case, MPs were told, was now being deferred to the 2023/2024 financial year.